Tyler County Newspaper Articles
Mr. Stealey , of Middlebourne, West
Va., is 81 years of age, has never seen a railroad and in the past
41 years has slept at home every night except two, when he was
visiting at a daughters at Centerville in the same
county--Tyler. Wheeling Register - October 30,
1878
Burglars
at Middlebourne.
Special Telegram to
the Register.
MIDDLEBOURNE, February
20.--L.
L. Stealy this morning found his store open and the safe
blown. A considerable amount of money was taken, about $100 of
which belonged to the Masonic fraternity. The show cases were
stripped of all the jewelry. Their drilling tools, hammers and
wedges, a part of which had been taken from a blacksmith shop near
by, were left in the store. There is no clue to the
burglars. Wheeling Register - February 21, 1889
We have seen the following item in several of our
exchanges: "The McCoy Bros. of
Sistersville, have shipped this season 310 hogsheads of
tobacco." And nine-tenths of that same tobacco (and everything
else that is shipped there) was taken from or through Middlebourne
to Sistersville to be shipped; and yet a great many insist on a
railroad along the river for benefit of Tyler county.--Tyler County
Star. Wheeling Register, December 22, 1879
WANT THE COURT HOUSE MOVED.
A Combined Effort to Bring it
from Middlebourne to Sistersville.
Special
to the Register. Sistersville, W. Va., September 15.--There is
a growing sentiment in this part of Tyler county among politicians
and others, irrespective of party, that the court house at
Middlebourne is too far away from the principal city of the county
and too difficult of access. There is now on foot a concerted
movement among all classes in this end of the county to have it
moved from that place here, and at the next general election it is
possible that this matter will be a prominent issue. The court
house and county seat is now about ten miles in the interior of the
county, and in bad weather it is almost impossible to get to that
place through the mud, the roads having an unenviable
reputation for being the muddiest in the State. It is expected
this movement will meet with spirited opposition on the part of the
inland people, but it is thought there are enough persons here
vitally interested to carry the issue when it comes to a vote.
It would be much more convenient here and would be a great benefit
to the rural residents of the county, as they could come to the city
to do their business and do much better than they can now. It
would also be more convenient for the oil men here, who have the
greater part of the business of a legal nature in the county
to transact. Wheeling Register, September 16,
1895
Dastardly Work
of Bushwhackers.
SHILOH,O., June 20.--George Mitchell,
wife and sister, out riding last night, were fired on by
ambushers. Mitchell was wounded and his sister fatally
injured. Wheeling Register, June 21,
1882
MIDDLEBOURNE NEWS NOTES
Special to the Register
Middlebourne, W. Va., May 29--A.
J. Ferrell and Jason Hart were in town on business to-day.
W.
M. Staley, of Wick, called on his friends to-day and says his No. 3
well is due in the sand and John Bullamn No. 3 is close to the
sand.
Gorrell Dock, J. W. Montgomery and Wesley Waters
were here on road business.
Jackson Smith called on his
friends here to-day. He is just recovered from an attach of
typhoid fever.
Misses Daisy and Louisa Smith, of Martinsburg,
left for home to-day. They have been visiting their
grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Ambrose Smith.
B. Engle, Esq., is
in Wheeling to secure a switch board for the telephone exchange
in Middlebourne.
The Tyler County Fair Association let the
contract for a new grand station to be built on their grounds for
the sum of $575.75 to C. D. Watson. It is to be a great
improvement on the old one.
W. H. Hutle was at Paden's
Valley loading lumber.
James L. and O. P. Fox were
in town on important business.
Dr. Smith has everything ready
to raise his new house on Dodd street, and D. H. Morey is hauling
stone for the foundation for his new livery barn. The old
town would boom if we had a few more such men.
Politics are
slowly simmering. The Republicans are having trouble over
their candidates. They think they have a sure thing on the
offices and are hustling for the places.
Mr. Paul
Engle and Robert McCoy were in Sistersville yesterday evening on
pressing business. The Wheeling Register, May 30, 1895
MIDDLEBOURNE P.
O.
It is Finally Disposed of, But Oh! What a Mess It's
In,
Special Telegram to the Register
Middlebourne, July
5--G. W. Atkinson left here to-day, after having disposed of the
Middlebourne postoffice. J. W. Barnes, of the Star,
gets the appointment, and as his health is not in condition to do
any business, the attaches of the printing office are to attend to
the post-office.
It has caused considerable
dissatisfaction. Some of the disappointed applicants say that
the Star was no advantage to the party during the late
campaign, that its editorials come near stampeding the party in
Tyler, causing more kickers than was ever known before since the
organization of the State. We understand that the appointment
was made to boom the financial condition of the
Star. Old citizens who have been a mainstay of the
Republican party through thick and thin have been made to stand
aside to make room for a man that cast his first vote in West
Virginia at the last general
election.
The Wheeling Register, July 6,
1889.
MIDDLEBOURNE
Middlebourne, W.
Va., June 3--Judge D. F. Pugh, of Columbus, who spent a few days
with friends here, has returned home.
J. H. Strickling and
his wife went to Doddridge county, Saturday, where
Mrs. Strickling will visit Mr. Strickling's mother
for some weeks.
G. G. Smith, Esq., left yesterday for Mt.
Clemens, Mich., to take the bath treatment for rheumatism, with
which he has been suffering for some time.
Miss Gertrude A.
Shaw, who has been visiting friends here for the last two weeks,
left for her home in Moundsville to-day.
Oil men in
town: J. C. McMahon, L. J. Murphy, John A. George and Roy
Murphy.
Jas. Ireland, of Joseph's Mills, was in town to-day
looking after his fences for the nomination for assessor on the
Republican ticket.
There is a fight in the Republican county
committee over the question whether the Republican nominations will
be made by a delegate convention or by primary election in this
county. The bosses favor the convention, as they can
manipulate it better for the state they have made out, while the
candidates in general and other good Republicans who are not
standing in with the bosses want a primary. It is reported
that there will be an attempt on the part of the bosses to
reorganize the county committee so as to have everything their own
way at the county convention to be held here June 11, to appoint
delegates to the Republican State and various other
conventions.
The Democrats here are divided on the money
question, with perhaps a majority for sound money. Watts
is the favorite for Governor since Judge Bennett is
considered out of the race. The Democrats of Tyler
recognize that to win a decisive victory this fall requires an
honest, fearless and aggressive leader, and such a leader they
believe Watts would be. For judge in The Fourth
Judicial district they favor J. V. Blair, of West Union, as the
Democratic candidate, and for Congress, John O. Pendleton would be
the choice. The Wheeling Register, June 4,
1896.
"The following is an extract of a letter from
a gentleman on the spot, to a member of the Legislature of Virginia,
politely furnished for publication:"
WHEELING, 14th Feb.
1832.
Dear Sir:--I now take the liberty to inform
you of the melancholy situation of the people on the Ohio river,
occasioned by the high waters. The very high rise of the river
commenced on the 9th inst.; the 10th, 11th and 12th it was at the
highest--and the river is yet out of its banks. To give you
some idea of the awful situation of those on the river, I am
told that a steam-boat passed through; and on the back side of part
of the town of Sistersville, the river swept from hill to hill
on each side, except the high banks or bottoms. All stacks of
hay, grain, and much of the corn is swept away; and it is
calculated that as many as 100 houses have been taken from this part
of the river, and of course, all the fences, bridges, and every
thing of the kind is gone--and goods, household furniture, and
property of every kind destroyed. I am not able at present to
give you an accurate account of the damage.
The visitation to the Valley of the Ohio, is the most
disastrous, destructive and awful, that I have ever seen, and I have
been well acquainted with this river for upwards of 50
years. The cry of people in one of the houses going down
was heard, but no relief could be given.
Would it not be
proper to request the Legislature to appropriate some of the taxes
of the counties bordering on the Ohio, toward building bridges, and
to assist those of the inhabitants who have lost their all.
The roads will be entirely ruined, and cannot be travelled.
The people must first build their fences and houses; so that it will
be impracticable to repair the roads. As early as I can, I
will advise you more of the particular situation of the
people.
"Sistersville is situate in
Tyler county, 50 miles below Wheeling." Richmond
Enquirer (Virginia), February 14th, 1832.
A PLEASANT re-union occurred at
Sistersville, Tyler county, on last Tuesday. Mrs. Sarah McCoy,
an aged lady of that place, having attained her eighty-third year,
celebrated that event by an entertainment to her children and
grandchildren. Mrs. McCoy is the daughter of one of the oldest
settlers of Brooke county, whose name was Wells. This
patriarch married the second time. His first wife bore him
ten, and his second eleven children. The twentieth offspring
of these fruitful unities was christened "Twenty" and the
twenty-first and last child, a girl, received the euphoneous, and
perhasp appropriate name of "Plenty." Nearly three-fourths of
a century ago a number of the Wells family bought lands in Tyler
county along the river, and the village of Sistersville received its
name in honor of three of the Wells sisters, one of whom is Mrs.
Sarah McCoy, The only other suvivor of this score and more of
children is Nicholas Wells, Esq., of Long Reach, who has arrived at
the ripe old age of four score and ten years. Wheeling
Daily Register - February 26, 1877.
A Badly Broken
Leg
Yesterday evening Mr. Hank Zwicker, of East
Wheeling, was brought up on the Ohio River train from a fishing camp
down about Long Beach, Tyler county, suffering from a badly
fractured leg. It seems that Mr. Zwicker was "skylarking" with
two or three friends, yesterday afternoon, at the camp, when he
fell, fracturing his leg in two or three places and making an injury
which will confine him to his home for some time to
come. The Wheeling Register, September
5, 1892.
Rabies in
Tyler
Col. Dan Johnson, President of the Local Board of
Health of Tyler county, and who was attacked by a mad dog, has
communicated with Dr. Geo. L. Garrison, member of the State
Board of Health, asking for information as to what shall be done for
the protection of the people of Tyler county. Dr. Garrison has
instructed him to call a meeting of the Board and take whatever
steps they thought necessary for their protection, under the
provision of Sec. 7, Chap. 150 of the Code of West
Virginia.
Hit By An Engine
Terrible Injuries Received by a
Sistersville Man
Special to the
Register.
Sistersville, W. Va., May 3.--About 2:30
o'clock this morning as two girls who reside on the boats just above
the town, were returning home they found the body of Thad Connolly
lying on the lower side of the Ohio River track terribly bruised and
insensible. They summoned help and carried him to one of the boats
and immediately sent for medical assistance. The well known and
popular doctors, R. A. Irwin and W. A. Kahle were soon at the boat
and rendered all possible assistance. The right side of Connolly's
head was found badly bruised, and his ear and face terribly
lacerated. His right arm was mashed to a pulp, making amputation
necessary just below the elbow. The doctors also stitched up his
scalp and sewed his ear on.
At the last account he was
resting very easy, but his recovery is very doubtful. He is eighteen
years of age and lives with his father, the ferryman, just above the
place where the accident occurred. He was under the influence of
strong drink and judging from appearances must have been sitting
along side the track in a drunken sleep.
Extra engine No. 13,
running light, is supposed to have been the train that hit him, but
the trainment say they know nothing of the
accident. The Wheeling Register, May 4,
1896.
A
Pleasant Surprise Party
Special Correspondence of the
Registerr
FRIENDLY, TYLER COUNTY, W. VA,
February 7.--A pleasant affair took place here
on Monday evening, at the Adams House, in the form of a surprise
party, given in honor of the fiftieth birthday anniversary of our
fellow townsman, W. N. Walton, by the citizens of Friendly and
vicinity. At about 7 o'clock the ladies and gentlemen began to
gather in to the number of seventy-five, led by the Friendly string
band. After entering the parlors, Mr. George Wells, of Ben's Run, in
behalf of the ladies, presented Mr. Walton with a handsome gold
headed silk umbrella and a heavy gold seal ring. Mr. Walton
responded, after which Mr. Porter Davenport stepped forward and
presented him with a handsome heavy gold headed ebony cane,
accompanied with a tie pin, by Mr. J. W. Williams, Jr. After
recovering from this second surprise he responded in an appropriate
manner and invited all out to supper. At 11:30 p. m., all departed
wishing Mr. Walton many happy returns of the
day.
The Wheeling Register,
February 8, 1889.
Destructive Fire
Last
week, a destructive fire occurred at Centreville district, in Tyler
county. The residence of Mr. A. L. Corbly was burned, causing a loss
from $2,500 to $3,000 with an insurance of $700. Mr. and Mrs. Corbly
were called away early in the morning, leaving their son, quite a
young boy, at home. He states that he covered the fire, swept up the
hearth and set the broom back in a corner, and went down to
Bearsville. About 10 o'clock a daughter of mr. James McCann
discovered the fire and informed her father, who with his son
immediately hurried to the scene of the conflagrtion and did all
they could to save the property, but their efforts were
unvailing. The dwelling with all its contents, and
the smoke house near by were soon a mass of ruins. It was only
by herculean efforts that they, assisted by other neighbors, saved
the granary, which stood some sixty feet from the dwelling. The
house had recently been refurnished and was of itself one of
the best farm houses in the county.
Wheeling
Register, January 24, 1884.
Murder in Tyler
County.
New Martinsville Messenger.
We are
indebted to Mr. Bert Swann, of Middlebourne, for the particulars of
a tragedy near that town, which resulted in the death of Jacob Metz,
well known to many of our readers.
It seems that Metz had been intimate with a young
lady by the name of Gorman, for some years, and that a man by the
name of Rockwell, better known ast "Cheap John," having formed her
acquaintance, bad feelings had been engendered. Metz had been over
to New Martinsville last Monday, and on his return home met the
young lady in Middlebourne and in the evening accompanied her to her
father's house, some distance from the town. Later in the evening
Rockwell came to the house and the men soon began quarreling, and
about ten o'clock P. M., began fighting in the yard. Metz, according
to the story of the girl, who was the only witness of the affair,
had Rockwell down and was pounding him with his fists, when Rockwell
managed to get his revolver from his pocket and fired, inflicting a
wound from which Metz died yesterday morning.
Rockwell had
not been arrested when our informant left Middlebourne.
We
learn from Col. D. D. Johnson that Rockwell was to have had his
preliminary trial last Saturday, but he procured the postponement
until Monday and again until yesterday, under the plea of being too
unwell to attend. The Messenger is mistaken in referring to the
woman as a "young lady," as she is a public character and well known
as such. He further says the public impression is that the murder
was a most deliberate and foul one. Wheeling Daily
Register, October 17, 1877.
The Metz Murder.
The Ritchie
Gazette in printing the particulars of the attrocious murder of
Jacob Metz by John Rockwell, in Tyler county, a couple of weeks ago
adds:
"The Wheeling Register states upon the information of Col.
Dan Johnson that the woman is one of bad character, and that the
murder was a deliberate and foul one. The reports which we have
received do not corroborate this statement. We have been informed
that Rockwell even cried for mercy, and asked Metz if he intended to
kill him. Metz replied in the affirmative, when Rockwell drew his
pistol and fired, with the result narrated above.
However,
the affray in itself was certainley a disgraceful
one."
The Register has since stated, however,
that Rockwell, on being arraigned before the proper tribunal for the
commission of the crime, proved that it was purely an act of self
defense, and thereupon he was acquitted. Wheeling Daily
Register, October 25, 1877.
A Sharp Crusade
Inaugurated by
Sistersville Ministers and Others
Against the Speak Easies
Which Have Flourished in that Town for Several Years--Great Popular
Excitement Over the Movement for Reform.
Special to
the Register.
Sistersville, April 7,--Like a thunderbolt from a
clear sky came the long looked for twist of the speak-easies. It was
in the air that something would drop soon, but all the same the move
of the reformers was unexpected. It is well to know that a big
effort was made to secure licenses from the County Court early in
the week. The hotel men "went it alone" and secured Capt. Dovener,
of Wheeling, to do
THE MISSIONARY WORK
at the county
seat. It was generally understood that the hotels stood a fair show.
They went before the court backed with petitions signed by nearly
all the business men in town. The other element--the separate
saloons--watched every move made by the hotel men, and thereby hangs
a tale. At the meeting of the new Council Tuesday night, the latter
appeared for permits. The former "got on" and charged
SNAP
JUDGMENT
on the part of the hotel proprietors, claiming that it
was a game of freeze-out. The upshot was that the Council granted
the permits to all applicants, ten in number. License was not
granted and the cry went up, "What next?"
The new Council
declared itself Saturday, inasmuch as the town sergeant made a tour
of the saloons for the $100 fine each, following the policy of the
old Council for the past year. While he was collecting fines Rev. O.
W. Ownby, of the M. E. Church, Rev. T. A. Anderson of the
Presbyterian Church, and Rev. J. D. Vannoy, of the Baptist Church,
appeared before 'Squire McCoy. The clergymen
SWORE OUT A
WARRANT
against Mr. and Mrs. G. B. Thompson and C. and H.
Benedict for illegal liquor selling. The former are out of town, but
the latter were arrested. They gave bonds for their appearance
before the grand jury and $500 bonds to quit selling for one year.
This caused a big sensation. It was said Saturday that
warrants were sworn out for the arrest of every speak-easy
proprietor in town. The plan of those back of the movement is to
secure conviction and then
ENJOIN THEM FROM SELLING.
They
claim that this is the best way to stop the traffic.
The move
does not meet with popular favor. The majority of our citizens are
in favor of licensing such places that are run with a show of
decency. In the meantime the speak-easy men are lying low, watching
for the next turn of the wheel.
Saturday evening it was
learned that a warrant had been issued for
EVERY SPEAK-EASY
KEEPER
in town. Two arrests were made, Frank Howe and Fred Empey.
They were taken before Judge McCoy and put under bonds for their
appearance before the grand jury and to quit selling for one
year.
The rest are keeping shady. One man, Davis, closed his
saloon voluntarily and the outlook is that the town will be "dry"
for some days to come. The Wheeling Register, April 8,
1895.
Col. Dan Johnson was in the city
yesterday, looking as merry and happy as if he expected to realize
several dollars per bushel on his wheat crop this year. He
tells us there is considerable agitation throughout his county
because of a proposed narrow gauge railway, which is to run from
Long Reach, or Sistersville through the county to Harrison. The
main object of bulding the road is to open up the interior part of
Tyler county, and bring to market the fine timber with
which Tyler abounds. Speaking of timber, it might be said just
here that Mr. Sheppard and others who are negotiating for the
shipment of West Virginia timber to foreign markets might make
a trip to Tyler county with profit. Senator Johnson would be a
proper gentleman to interview on the resources of his section. He
would not only be glad to impart such information, but his guests
would find him capable of so doing. The county is very rich in
valuable timber, and the sooner means are afforded for bringin it to
market the better. May the railroad project culminate into something
tangible is the wish of Wheeling. Wheeling Daily
Register, May 30, 1877.
Transcribed by C. Anthony
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